Customer Reviews

A Theory of the Good and the Right

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I read this book a long time ago, and furthermore I reject utilitarianism. Even so, I feel compelled to praise this book now if only to counterbalance the only other review herein. I remember being mightily impressed by the book when I read (and reread) it. I would justify that reaction now by noting that this was a pioneering effort to inform philosophy with empirical findings. That is now the rage if not yet the norm. Willard van Orman Quine had famously called for the "naturalizing" of philosophy, particularly in epistemology. Brandt heeded that call in ethics. I consider this book to have been state of the art at the time of its original publication. How it fares now I am not in a position to say.

David Hume is easily my favorite philosopher, so when I read of a "humean" modern moral philosopher, I jumped on this book. Unfortunately, I was terribly disappointed. When I read Brandt's belief that everyone in society should receive the same income, I could read no more. Hume would have been horrified by such an idea. Hume's moral theory was based on benevolence, but it was based on utility as well. Hume would have had some clue as to the complete disaster to the economy, and the incredible amount of power this would have placed in the federal government's hands. It never ceases to amaze me how naive modern philosophers can be when it comes to basic political economy.